Stereotype-plate-casting apparatus.



H. F. BECHMAN. STBREOTYPE PLATE ASTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED' SEPT. l2, 1910.

Patented June 20, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

H. F. BECHMAN.

STERBOTYPE PLATE CASTING APPARATUS.

APTLIGATTON FILED SEYT. 12, 1910.

Patented June 20,1911.

z SHEETS-SHEET atras; retrasar HENRY F. BECHMAN, OF BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, SSGNOR TG DUPLEX PRINTING PRESS COMPANY, OF BATTLEREEK, MICHGAN, A CORYGEATIV Gi? MICHGAN.

STEREOTYPE-PLATE-CASTING AFPA'RATUS..

'atented inne 20, i011..

Application led September 12, 1910. Serial No. afll..

Be it knoWn-thatI, HENRY F. Boorman', of Battle Creek, in the countyo Calhoun and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Stereotype vPlate-Gasting Apparatus; and l hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference' being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specificatioin This invention is an improvement in stereotype casting boxes o'tl the type shown by practically autoniaticvmeans so that the matrix can 'be easily inserted in the box and will be properly positionedv and fastened in position by closing the cope. -The operator does not have to manipulate any matrix clamp or lock in or on the box prior to closing of the cope in this invention; and practically all that is required in placing a niatrix in the box is to start the opposite edges of the matrix into the edges of the space between the drag and core and then close the cope.

I willnow explain the invention with reterenee to the accom'paylng drawings which show the present preferred practical torni of casting box 'embodying the invention and Will enable those familiar with the art to construct and. use the same.

In said drawings-Figure 1. is a side elevation of a complete casting box,.showing the parts in closed position and also showing the cope and core in open position, in dottedlines.- Fig. 2 is an enlarged trans verse sectional View of the box indicating the manner of inserting a matrix into the box prior to closing the cope. Fig. 3 is a similar View showing the, parts closed and the matrix locked i1`i position.

The machine or casting box is especially designed to cast tubular stereotype plates such as are used in connection with the novel rotar web printing press shownin my Patents To. 807,230 and No. 867,218 of October 1, 1907, and Reissue No. 13,129 ot July 12, 1910.

The machine or casting inox' embodies a drag 1, Wh ich is preferably mounted in vertical position 'upon asupporiing trarne, composed` oin side pieces and hase plate 7,

This drag has a semicircular recess in its front face corresponding in contour to one halt of the cylindrical plate to be cast in the machine'.

The core 2 cross' section and substantially corresponds in diameter to that ot the plate cylinder ot 'the press on which the plates are .to be used. Said core has a cireuinterential flange 2a near its lower end which terms the bottom of `the mold during the casting operations.

.from the drag 1, and prevented from running oit the side pieces-7, by means of arms 2e which*arefrigidiy fastened to the trunnions 2, or lower part of the core; and are lprorided with pins 2f, which may be provided with rollers, that engage curved guide slots 7b ni the side pieces 7, and not only,

limit the lateral movements of the core, but cause it to swing to an inclined position when it is pulled away i'rointhe drag, and to assnmea vertical posi"ion when it is moved toward the drag. ihe upper end of the core is preferably made conical to facilitate pourin?,` of the metal into the mold. n

Hinged to one side of the drag l is a cope '3, which has a semi-circular recess in its inner face ,corresponding in contour to onelialf the plate to be cast, and slifhtly reater in diameter than the core; an 1s a apted,

.when the core is in position in the drag, to

be closed against the drag and therewith completely surround the core, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3;'the space betweenthe cope and drag, and the interposed core forming an annular casting chamber into `which metal can-be poured at the top of the core'. The cope may be fastened to thc drag, when closed, by any suitable means. As shown a is preferably cylindrical inyoke 3m is hinged to the side of the drag intermediate the cope hinges and is adapted to embrace the cope, when the latter is closed, and to Contact with a central rib or bosson the cope and force the cope closely against the drag, when the yoke is locked. The yoke is provided -onits free end with a in 3a which is adapted to be engaged by a ook 4B, on a slide 4, which is supported on a 'pin 1c, attached to the drag, and upon an eccentric 5 attached to a pin or stub shaft ld havinga handle 5a as shown. The pin ld may be additionall Supported by a bracket 5 attached to the ra'g, said bracket serving as a ide to prevent lateral displacement ot' vthe s iding catch in locking or unlocking the yoke.

A guard or shield 5s may be attached to the side of the drag l above the slide 4 so as to protect the operative parts of the yoke clamp from being clogged with molten metal, which might be spilled thereupon during the operation of pumping metal into the mold. The cope 3 may also be provided with a skirt 3 to protect the underlying part from being clogged with metal which might splash thereupon during the operation of filling the mold when the cope is closed.

Journaled in the frame 7 is a transverse shaft 7 ,to one end of which isattaehed a level' 7 which is provided with an inclined slot T adapted to engage the. projecting end of the adjacent trunnion pin 2b o't' the core. This lever 7" extends forward beyond said trunnion and is provided at a point in ad- Vance of the inclined slot 7" with a notch 7" Which is adapted to engage the trunnion 2 when the box is opened and the core is lowered into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. l, to hold the core in such position.

Thus far the parts described are or may be constructed substantially the same as similarly lettered parts described in my latent No. 945,678 atoresaid---aiul I will now describe the features which more particularly embody the present invention.

Attached to the drag, at the center ot the inside face thereof, is a single vertical rib or bar G; and attached to the opposed surface ofthe core 2 is a vertical rib or bar t3, which has a groove 0* correspoin'ling to and adapted to receive the rib t'on the drag; the bar .6" is of a width eorrespoiuling to the. space desired between the ends ot the print ing snrface, of the cylindric plate; or to the, slot i in such cylindric plate as described in myhas been almost entered into the drag 1, see Fig. 2, and preferably so that the lower end o't` rib 6 has begun to enter the lower end ot groove 6 in rib t3, the previously prepared matrix indicated at M, Figs. 2 and is bentintol somewhat tubular torni and its two sides inserted into the opposite sides ot the space between the core and the drag, as indicated in Fig. 2, while the cope is opened.

-The cope is then closed against and around the core, and in so doing pushes the matrix inward until both edges of the matrix come against the rib G Fig. il, and the core is Simultaneously l'irought into central position, as described in my atoreasid patent g and the core and the edges of the matrix are clamped against the drag, on opposite sides ot' the rib (i, by the flanges ot-the rib G, See Fig. 3; and the cope is then locked in closed position by yoke 3".

Operation: 'lhe cope can be thrown open and the core lowered to the position shown in dotted lilies in Fig. l, so that.. a previously cast plate canibe removed. The core is then turned back almost into the drag, as in Fig. 2; then a matrix M is bent around the core and its opposite side edges inserted between the core and the drag, and pushed as l'ar in as can be conveniently done by hand. 'l`hen the cope 1s closed and the yoke il swung against.l the Cope, and secured as described in my said latent No. 91.31378. 'l'he closing of the cope tirst forces the matrix .\l i'ully inward until its side edges abut against the rib t3, then as the core moves into exact central position the edges ol the matrix are lirmly held between the llanges o'l' rib t3 and the inner tace ot the drajg at opposite sides ot rib t' on the drag. 'lhus the l--etting up and locking oli' the matrix is prfuticalliv antomatic; there is no matrix clamp to be manually handled; but the ribs hold the side edges of the matrix securely when the box is closed. 'there is no matrix lock to.be handled or fastened or set.; only thel cope lock has to be secured. 'lt is impossible l'or the .matrix to slip out of position as t-he interior surl'aces olvthe co] i and drag, to which it must eont'orm, will torce it to position and its inner edges against the stop or rib as they are. brought, together. '.l`hc flange, 2 on the bottom of the core. makes a tighty joint with the opposed surfaces ot the drag and lcore, and closes the bottom ot -the mold formed by the space between the inner laces ot thc drag and cope. and the external l'ace olf'the core. When the eope is closed a. removable guard or collar 3L may be placed in the top ot the. box to prevent metal splashing thereupon, and then the molten metal is poured into the top ol" the box and at'ter the endwise of the core. The metal is delivered in the mold 'in' such`v manner that it will naturally tend to force the matrix outward against thewalls of the drag and cope and insure a clean and perfect casting. As the ribs 6, 6a, are located at the center ot the drag, instead of at the side thereof, it follows that when the metal is pumped into the edges of the matrix well in on the respective y sides of the core and then close the cope.

What I claim is: A 1. In a stereotype casting apparatus, the combination of a drag, a cope, and a cylindric core having a vertical rib opposite the center of the drag adapted to clamp opposite adjacent edges of the matrix against .the drag when the core is closed and to secure the matrix in position when the cope is closed. f

2. In a stereotype casting box, the combination of a cope, a drag having a rib, and a core having an` opposed rib, said ribs'being adapted to position a matrix around the core when the core is closed and to engage and hold the opposite adjacent edges of the matrix in position when the cope is' closed.

3. In a stereotype casting box, the combination of a drag having a longitudinal fixed rib, a cope, and a cylindric core having a longitudinal fixed rib opposite that on the drz'xgrandk adapted to position the matrix bent around the core, when the core is closed, and to secure the opposite edges of the matrix when the cope is closed.

et. In a stereotype casting apparatus, the combination of a drag having a central ver'- tical rib, a cope, and a cylindric core having a vertical rib adapted to co-act with the rib on the drag and position and secure the matrix, when the cope is closed.

5. 1n a stereotype casting' box, the combi nation of a drag and a core, and opposed ribs thereon, one of said ribs being slotted to receive the other, and said ribs being adapted to position and secure the edges of a matrix when the core is closed.

6. In a stereotype' casting box, the combination of a drag having a, vertical rib, and an opposed core having a vertical rib opposite that of the drag, one of said ribs bein slotted to receive the other, and the slotted rib being adapted to secure the edges of a A i matrix, when the core is closed.

7. In a stereotype casting box, the combination of a drag, a core, a cope, and a ma trix guideadapted to automatically position a matrix for casting.

8. In a stereotype casting box, the combi nation of a drag, a cope and a matrix stop adapted to position a matrix in the box as the box is closed.

9. In a rstereotype' casting box, the combi* nation of a drag, a cope, a core, and a matrix stop bar adapted to position a matrix in the box as the box is closed.

l0. In a stereotype casting apparatus, the

combination of a drag having a rib, a swinging cope, and a core having a rib adapted to clamp the adjacent opposlte edges of a matrix bent around the core against the drag 'at opposite sides of the rib thereon, when the cope is closed.

ll. In a stereotype casting apparatus,'the combination of a. drag having a rib, a swinging cope, and a tiltable core having a longitudinal grooved rib adapted to embrace the rib on the drag and clamptthe opposite adjacent edges of a matrix bent around the core against the drag, when the cope is closed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I atlix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY F. BECHMAN,

vWitnesses:

s J. K. STONE,

CHARLES A. GRAMES. 

